Updated October 8, 2026. Quick answer: For tax year 2026 Georgia charges a flat income tax rate of 4.99%, down from 5.19%, according to the Department of Revenue. The standard deduction is $15,000 for single, head of household and married filing separate filers and $30,000 for married couples filing jointly.
The 2026 Georgia rate
| Taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|
| All taxable income | 4.99% (was 5.19%) |
The Department’s 2026 employer guide says the change took effect on signature of HB 463 and is “retroactive to taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026”. The guide says the rate was reduced “from a flat rate of 5.19% to a flat rate of 4.99%”. Employers could begin withholding at 4.99% on May 11, 2026, so a paycheck withheld earlier in the year may have used the old rate.
The 2026 standard deduction
| Filing status | 2026 amount |
|---|---|
| Single | $15,000 |
| Head of household | $15,000 |
| Married filing separately | $15,000 |
| Married filing jointly | $30,000 |
The Department states that “$30,000 for taxpayers filing Married Filing Jointly and $15,000 for Single” are the new amounts, with the same $15,000 for head of household and married filing separate. The same guide says the dependent deduction was raised from $4,000 to $5,000.
A worked example
As a computed example (an illustration, not a source figure), take $100,000 of Georgia taxable income. At the flat 4.99% the tax is $4,990 (computed). The same income at the former 5.19% rate would have been $5,190 (computed), which is $200 more. Taxable income here is the figure after the standard deduction.
What this page does not say
The documents read do not state a future rate step or an indexing rule, and the HB 463 text and the 2026 return instruction booklet were not read. Georgia’s retirement-income exclusions are covered on the Georgia retirement taxes page.
Common mistakes
- Using 5.19% for a 2026 return. The change is retroactive to January 1, 2026.
- Reading employer withholding as the final tax. Withholding changed on May 11, 2026, the return uses 4.99% for the whole year.
- Applying the 2025 standard deduction to a 2026 return.
Related: how Georgia taxes retirement income, whether Georgia taxes pensions, how Georgia taxes capital gains, and the federal 2026 tax brackets.
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Answer againSources
- Georgia Department of Revenue, Important Tax Updates (2026 Income Tax Changes): https://dor.georgia.gov/taxes/important-tax-updates
- Georgia Department of Revenue, 2026 Employer’s Tax Guide (updated September 2026): https://dor.georgia.gov/document/document/2026-employers-tax-guide-updated-september-2026/download
- Georgia Department of Revenue (where later updates appear; no figure on this page comes from it): https://dor.georgia.gov/
Sources: the primary documents linked above, read on October 8, 2026. General information, not tax advice. Your own facts decide the outcome, and a preparer, the plan administrator or the agency itself is the right place to confirm anything consequential.